Nothing has happened since the last update except that Maloelap has been turned into a smoking ruin by constant naval and air bombardment (unopposed). In fact the fortress unit was completely wiped out by attrition some time ago.

Well now it looks like he intends to land there.

Our sub skirmishers did quite well, and ended up in the same hex as the invasion armada. Two subs went down but it was worth the price.

CAP engaged: VF-2 with F6F-3 Hellcat (2 airborne, 12 on standby, 17 scrambling) 2 plane(s) intercepting now. 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 38800. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 52 minutes 14 planes vectored on to bombers VF-3 with F6F-3 Hellcat (5 airborne, 12 on standby, 16 scrambling) 5 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 10000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 38800. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 32 minutes 12 planes vectored on to bombers VF-6 with F6F-3 Hellcat (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 17 scrambling) 6 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 38800. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 31 minutes 15 planes vectored on to bombers VF-9 with F6F-3 Hellcat (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 17 scrambling) 6 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 12000 , scrambling fighters between 5000 and 38800. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 38 minutes 20 planes vectored on to bombers VF-71 with F6F-3 Hellcat (4 airborne, 13 on standby, 0 scrambling) 4 plane(s) intercepting now. 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 2 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 7000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 38800. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes 6 planes vectored on to bombers VF-35 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 3 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 6000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes 7 planes vectored on to bombers VF-37 with F4F-4 Wildcat (4 airborne, 9 on standby, 0 scrambling) 4 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 3000 and 5000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes 4 planes vectored on to bombers VF-60 with F4F-4 Wildcat (3 airborne, 8 on standby, 0 scrambling) 3 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 5000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 19 minutes 11 planes vectored on to bombers VRF-1F with F4F-4 Wildcat (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling) 6 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 8000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 8000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes 4 planes vectored on to bombers VRF-2F with F4F-4 Wildcat (6 airborne, 12 on standby, 0 scrambling) 6 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 9000 , scrambling fighters between 1000 and 4000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 22 minutes VRF-3F with F4F-4 Wildcat (5 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling) 5 plane(s) intercepting now. Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 2000 and 34000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 37 minutes 8 planes vectored on to bombers VRF-5F with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 10 on standby, 0 scrambling) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 17000 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 34000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 28 minutes 4 planes vectored on to bombers

The Essex certainly went down, and the other two CVS are not looking healthy at all.

Why I am feeling gamey? Well, the attack (from Roi-Namur) went in at 1,000ft, and at this altitude the CAP is basically rendered useless. Which means that 40 torpedo bombers can sink half the USN CV fleet. Now you could say that he didn't help himself by not suppressing Roi-Namur airfield before moving in, but I do feel that without some action this is potentially a game-ending moment. So I have proposed a HR discussion.

The trade I have in mind is to stop Naval Attacks at low-level by anything other than F/FB types in exchange for a ban on Ground Attacks by anything other than F/FB/DB and low-level Attack Bombers. He has used 2E bombers on Ground Attack at medium altitude to basically totally erase the garrisons of Mili and Maloelap before landing and there was nothing I could do about it.

I now have my first P1Y1 Frances and N1K1 Rex units, and I have also just created an embryonic J2M2 Jack unit with 5 planes. My mind changed on that one since Zeros are just useless against the newer Allied fighters. However the ugly George will still not be produced.

I now have my first P1Y1 Frances and N1K1 Rex units, and I have also just created an embryonic J2M2 Jack unit with 5 planes. My mind changed on that one since Zeros are just useless against the newer Allied fighters. However the ugly George will still not be produced.

The KB is now fully equipped with the D4Y1 Judy and B6N1 Jill.

Bear in mind the George 2 has a 2 service rating and is better all round than the Jack.

1) No Naval Attacks below 6,000ft except for Fighters, Fighter-Bombers and Allied Attack Bombers. 2) No Ground Attacks by 4E bombers (I couldn't shift him on the 2Es) 3) Strategic Bombing is now allowed anywhere and can target anything in the daytime but only Manpower at night. Previously the DEI and Burma were off-limits and it was Manpower only across the board.

So hopefully he will make some moves into the eastern DEI now so as to try and bomb the Oil. This would enable my Nick Swarm to have a go at his 4Es.

Meanwhile, the Judy and Kill debuted quite successfully at Maloelap. Getting rid of a DMS or two is always nice.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 136,117

CAP engaged: VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling) 0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 9 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact. Group patrol altitude is 13000 Time for all group planes to reach interception is 8 minutes

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 136,117

CAP engaged: VF-8 with F6F-3 Hellcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 8 scrambling) Group patrol altitude is 13000 , scrambling fighters to 7000. Time for all group planes to reach interception is 39 minutes

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on TF, near Maloelap at 136,117

I have a theory that all those stupendously inaccurate 37mm, 40mm and even 57mm guns that some of the IJAAF fighters are equipped with can actually be effective if the pilots are good enough. So I have started building a few Ki-44-IIb Tojos, Ki-45 KAIc Nicks and even some Ki-46-IIIb Dinahs.

The first unit into action with their big cannons will be the 64th Sentai, currently based at Bangkok and piloted entirely by TRACOM Golden Boys. I think he will move on Rangoon soon, after which Bangkok will probably get bombed, but there should be plenty of time to fit the group out with 40mm toting Tojos.

If it doesn't work I have lost nothing, the fighters and factories can be swapped out and the spare aircraft used for Naval Attack.

I have fooling around with bombs against BBs. Quite surprising results really. You can sink the blighters without a single penetration if you can get enough hits to generate fires which overcome the intra-turn damage control.

500kg bombs do it easily, 250kg'ers have to work somewhat harder and with 100kg it's a struggle but still achievable. The great thing is that the bombs also take out the flak devices on the ships so you get to a point where the ship essentially becomes a sitting duck.

As a result of this testing I have increased my focus on dive bombers including even the Lily.

I just tried the same test with the Beta and the flak changes have made an enormous difference. 1,000 DBs can now only sink a couple of CAs and put a couple of BBs out of action, rather than completely annihilating whole TFs, and this at a loss rate approximately 4 x that from before.

Interesting, and I approve. Let's see if my opponent agrees that we install the Beta immediately.

There is so much good stuff there. I would really like to update as well.

Beware though that it will change the air model considerably for massed attack coordination, (which you may have already learned in these tests or through the several threads recently about it). Your opponent will most likely not like the immediate results with massed 4Es and 2Es. He may have to change a lot of HQ settings to get it close to the coordination in the official patch, spending a lot of PPs. Unlesss of course he has already aligned all of the groups to their HQs, put in quality leaders, etc.

_____________________________

"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

According to the ships sunk list the CV Enterprise and BB Massachusetts recently went down near Johnson Island. Whether this is true or not it does indicate that he has no forward naval bases near the Marshall Islands, which is a bit odd. Tarawa and Tabituea are now both size 4 ports, and with a Naval HQ and an AR or two they ought to be serviceable places to get the float and sys damage down before heading back to Pearl.